Here is something for the list serve, I think it is simple and straight forward, but it has become complicated.

I just want to hear the opinion of some of my colleagues who may be able to express what is right more elegant than I.

So it is the first day of classes in the organic chemistry lab sequence I, I am hanging around to show students where to put their bags, how to use the hoods, and in general think about the risks and incorporate safety into their technique.
The students check into a locker drawer filled with intricate glassware. While students are checking in, the instructor (a graduate student) is walking around and the lab technician is in the prep room. A student comes up to the prep room window and asks for
a beaker that is missing and to have a broken distillation head replaced. It is cracked in a jagged fashion at one of the ground glass joints, but might still work without leaking. Perhaps it would work in a still apparatus, but the jagged edges are a greater
risk for the novice who is new to the hood, PPE, organic chem and the intricate glassware.

The lab technician provides the missing beaker and tells the student that the distillation, while cracked, will still work, the department does not have any money and she cannot replace it. I come to find that the technician has 2 dozen
new distillation heads on the shelf, but insists on worrying about the department budget. The arguments she uses are invalid, this or that has not been fixed, a chemical order was canceled without her knowledge, the provost is to blame because they took the
money.

Of course I could replace the still head myself, but what have I really done to change things. I am trying to educate her and change her culture. I am trying not to kick this up to a higher level. Before I do, I wanted to see what the list
thinks about this.

Confidentiality Note: The information contained in this Email and/or document(s) attached is for the exclusive use of the individual named above and may contain confidential, privileged and non-disclosable
information. This communication may also contain data subject to U.S. export laws, not releasable to Foreign Persons unless authorized by 22 CFR 120-130 or 15.CFR 730-774. If so, that data subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulation cannot be disseminated,
distributed or copied to foreign nationals, residing in the U.S. or abroad, absent the express prior approval of the U.S. Department of State. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you are strictly prohibited from reading, photocopying,
distributing or otherwise using this Email or its contents in any way. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender by reply e-mail and destroy the e-mail message and any physical copies made of the communication.

The content of this page reflects the personal opinion(s) of the author(s) only, not the American Chemical Society, ILPI, Safety Emporium, or any other party. Use of any information on this page is at the reader's own risk. Unauthorized reproduction of these materials is prohibited. Send questions/comments about the archive to secretary@dchas.org.The maintenance and hosting of the DCHAS-L archive is provided through the generous support of Safety Emporium.